Cold health alert warns of risk to life as frost hits parts of UK
The alert is in place until noon on 27 December
Cold temperatures and overnight frost are set to persist across parts of the UK, prompting a health alert.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold health alert for south-west England, effective until noon on 27 December.
The agency warns that low temperatures could lead to minor impacts on health and social care.
Those include an “increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people” and a “greater risk to life of vulnerable people”.
Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said that it would be dry but chilly on Boxing Day.
“Boxing Day we’re going to see some good spells of sunshine, we will see a little in the way of cloud for the South and North West, some light rain, but for the vast majority it’s going to be dry,” she said.
“While it will still be breezy, it won’t be as windy as Christmas Day.”
Top temperatures would be between 6-7C, while in the south it would feel closer to 4-5C, she said.
“A low chance of snow, it’s not expected at all.”
The weather will be similar on Saturday and Sunday. There could be drizzle where the cloud is thicker, Ms Hutin said, and it will stay quite breezy.
Temperatures will be around average at between 6-7C.
Ms Hutin said: “It’s good news for people who have got the week off and want to go on walks.”
It comes as beachgoers have been urged not to swim, with two men in their 60s and 40s still missing after getting into difficulty off the coast of Devon on Christmas Day.
Emergency services were called to Budleigh Salterton at 10.25am following reports of people in the water.
Detective Superintendent Hayley Costar, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “There have been weather warnings in place this week and a number of official and unofficial swims have already been cancelled.
“While there are no official warnings in place for tomorrow, we urge anyone with plans to go swimming in the sea on Boxing Day not to.”
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